The Cat
by Fallen Seraphina
Summary: Charles has a cat, named Dante. And so far Dante is the weirdest cat Erik has ever met. Charles and Raven seem to love him, though. And he's starting to get used to the grey cat.
1. Chapter 1

Charles had a cat.

That should really not have been the first thing he had noticed when they entered the mansion, but it was. The grey cat bounded over to them as soon as the door opened, mewling for attention. Raven immediately cooed, lifting the small creature and petting it. "Oh, Dante. Did you miss us?" She said softly, and to his surprise, she immediately changed back to her blue form.

Charles smiled and moved to pet the cat as well. The cat purred and leaned into the professor's touch. "You have a cat?" Sean asked and walked closer to see the it. The cat stared at him, tilting it's head.

Charles smiled, shaking his head lightly. "Dante's much more than just a cat, Sean..." He said quietly. Sean looked confused, but didn't push it. Erik gave Charles a quizzical look. He hadn't expected Charles to be so sentimental about an animal. Any way you looked at it, Dante _was_ just a cat. Charles looked back over at Erik, his smile faltering. _I'll explain it later._ Erik heard him in his head and frowned. He didn't think it needed explaining, but okay.

Raven let Dante curl up around her shoulder as she walked further into the mansion. "Well guys, we've still got a tour to do!" She said happily, running her hand through the cat's short fur. Alex sighed and shook his head, smiling lightly. They followed her down a hallway.

Charles stayed back for a few moments, his smile fading. "Don't mention it to the others, but Dante really is more than he seems. He's done so much for my family." He said softly, walking in the direction the others had gone. Erik stared at him, confused. What could a cat possibly do? He sighed and followed after Charles. He'd get more answers later.

* * *

After the rather long tour, everyone was left to choose a room. Raven had left Dante alone to wander the halls again. He didn't know where the others were, as he had decided to choose a room almost on the complete other side of the mansion. He'd only seen the cat since he had left to find a room. He eventually decided on a simple room by the stairs. It was good enough, with nothing more than a dresser and a bed inside it. Probably a guest room of some sort.

"Have you decided on a room, Erik?" A voice asked behind him. He turned to see Charles smiling at him, walking over to stand beside the taller man. Erik cleared his throat and nodded. Charles hummed in response, nodding his head. "Dante's room is just across from you, and mine is just three doors down." He said, amusement in his tone.

Erik raised an eyebrow, "Your cat has it's own room." It wasn't a question; more like a statement. Then again, he was a rich man with a giant home. Of course his cat had it's own room.

Charles shook his head, continuing to smile. "Really, Erik, Dante isn't just a cat. Hopefully, he'll warm up to you enough to show you that." He said, patting his friend on the shoulder. He walked away, down the hallway to what Erik guessed was his room. He sighed. What the hell was up with him? Was he really talking about a cat as if it was a person?

He froze as he heard a mewl behind him. He looked down to see Dante staring up at him, head tilted. Erik frowned, stepping into his room. "... I don't like cats." It was directed at the cat, but the cat just continued to stare back at him. He shook his head and shut the door. He paused beside the door, taking a deep breath before walking over to the dresser with his luggage. He didn't know if it was just Charles' words getting to him, but that cat was truly odd.

* * *

The next morning, Erik woke to the smell of food. He yawned and shifted in his bed. It was a long night, to say the least. He hadn't had nightmares, no, but he couldn't stay asleep for more than a couple hours at a time. He was far too awake. He took his time getting out of bed and dressed. When he looked down at his watch, it was only seven in the morning. Who was even up at that time, making breakfast?

He made his way downstairs, taking a left to the kitchen. He could hear light laughter coming from inside. As he entered, he saw Raven and the damned cat at the center island. Raven was smiling down at him, holding a fork full of eggs. She looked up when Erik entered, smiling. "Morning! Dante made breakfast." She said happily, taking a bite of the eggs.

Erik frowned, staring at the blue woman with annoyance. How the hell could a cat make breakfast?! He sighed and walked to the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup. Raven hummed lightly, running her hand against Dante's back. Erik stared at them, leaning against the kitchen counter. Raven looked at ease, in her own skin. She looked over at him and frowned, "Something wrong?" She asked calmly.

Erik smiled into his cup before setting it down beside him. "No, nothing is wrong... You just seem a lot more at ease here." He said, crossing his arms.

She blinked, staring at him in surprise before smiling. She huffed out a breath and looked back at Dante. The cat had sat up now, staring over at Erik. "Having Dante back helps, I guess. He doesn't like when I'm not blue." She replied, her voice calm and gentle. "Its definitely not because we're here. Honestly, I was expecting never to come back here."

He raised an eyebrow, a small smile coming across his face. Raven smiled and shook her head at him, "What? It's true." She said. Erik couldn't tell why exactly, but she was hiding something. She didn't want to delve deeper into that subject, in fear of saying too much. Maybe it had something to do with Charles? He had to admit, despite everything, he didn't know a lot about his friend.

"Morning..." A voice yawned from the entryway. Erik looked over to see Alex stumbling in, eyes half closed as he sat down across from Raven. Raven smiled and said good morning back to him, sliding a plate of warm food in his direction. Sean came walking in shortly after. Erik took that as his cue to leave. He didn't particularly enjoy being in a room with everyone for long periods of time. As he turned to wander the halls, he saw Dante in the corner of his eye. The cat was walking towards the stairs slowly, his tail flicking back and forth. He frowned, turning and walking away. It was just a cat.

* * *

Charles hadn't gone to breakfast, Erik learned later that day. When he asked Raven why, she said he never ate breakfast. This made him frown, and for Raven to tell him to stop worrying or he'd have a permanent frown. He ignored her and decided to go find Charles on his own. It didn't take long, though. A few minutes of wandering and he found Charles sitting quietly in the study, staring off into space.

And the damned cat was sitting in his lap.

He held back a groan. It'd been hardly two days, and he was already tired of see that cat everywhere. He stuck to Raven and Charles like glue. Erik slowly walked over to the doorway, leaning against it. Charles' eyes were closed, his head rested on one hand and the other on Dante. The cat looked up at Erik, but made no noise. Just stared. Erik stared back for a moment before taking a deep breath, "Charles?" He said quietly.

"Yes, Erik?" The man replied, not opening his eyes. He looked calm, there. Much calmer than he had before.

"Are you aware it's already passed eleven? You missed breakfast."

Charles smiled, his eyes opening slowly. He stared up at at Erik with bright blue orbs. "Is it really? I seemed to have lost track of time..." He mumbled, shifting slightly in his seat. Dante mewed and leaped off his lap, settling back down on top of the desk. "But, it's nothing to worry about too much; I rarely eat breakfast, to be honest. An old habit of not wanting to converse with my family, I'm afraid." He mumbled, sitting more upright. "Were you worried about me?" He mused.

Erik rolled his eyes, snorting lightly. "You're a grown man; you hardly need someone to make sure you're eating right. That's your own job." He said softly, a small smile on his face. "You looked comfortable like that."

"Hm?" He blinked, looking over at Dante. He sighed contently, "... Dante has that effect on me, I suppose. A steady constant in this wretched place." He spoke softly, staring at Dante with every word.

"Raven said something quite similar to that." He mused, staring over at the grey feline.

Charles hummed and nodded, "I'd expect as much. We both grew up with him, after all. Though, when we saw him transform it gave us quite the fright. Hadn't really been expecting a cat to be a mutant." He sighed.

Erik stared at him in complete shock. He had definitely not been expecting that. "Are you serious?" He asked in disbelief. So Raven and Charles weren't just being sentimental about a stupid cat?

Charles laughed, looking at his friend in amusement. "Hard to believe, isn't it? We've only seen Dante's human form a handful of times, but it's most definitely true. He can turn into an array of animals; I find that it's quite similar to Raven's abilities." He grinned, huffing out a breath. "I apologize, but I must ask you not to say anything to the others. I'm only telling you, because I trust you enough to not ask further questions." His features became more serious as he looked at Erik. "Dante will show them himself when he's ready." He said.

Erik sighed, shaking his head at Charles. "... Okay." He replied. He didn't what to say besides that. He just learned Charles' cat wasn't even an actual cat and for whatever reason, didn't like being in his human form? It was odd, to say the least. Charles smiled at him, humming softly. Erik turned and walked out, taking a deep breath. He couldn't help but smile slightly. Another mutant in this giant mansion. At least it made sense that he had his own room now.

* * *

Erik was walking to his room after dinner. He could hear the faint laughter of Raven and Charles down the hall. Probably in Charles' room. He sighed and grabbed the door knob, pausing when he heard a mewl. He turned slowly and saw the damned cat standing right behind him. He frowned, staring down at him. Dante simpled mewled again, rubbing his head against Erik's leg.

Erik's leg twitched, lighting nudging the cat away. "What do you want?" He asked quietly. The cat stared at him for a moment before turning and walking across the hall. Erik watched curiously as he scratched at the closed door.

Right. Dante lived across the hall from him. And he was still a cat. He sighed and walked slowly over, opening the door for the creature. The cat immediately hurried into the room. He tried to see inside, but the room was far too dim to see much of anything. He saw a bed, covered in what looked like blankets. There was nothing on the floor, from what he could see. He almost wanted to look further, but something was suddenly pushing against the door.

He took a step back and the door shut immediately. He stared at the closed door for a moment, then turned to walk back to his own room. He stepped inside without a word.

* * *

 **A/N:** _:D! Oh hey I'm actually doing something for once._

 _And it's X-Men, and it has one of my OC's in it._

 _This entire idea came up when one of my friends asked what it would be like if Charles had a pet, but she was thinking of a dog. But, no matter what, I think Charles would prefer a cat. Something to laze about on his lap during lectures and give him cheek nuzzles when he's feeling down._

 _Dante isn't really a pet, but he definitely prefers being a cat. No responsibilities, and he can do what he wants. He has a twin sister named Anna, and his parents are Skylar and Ruth. They live in downtown New York._

 _I hope you guys will enjoy Dante, and this story. Most things will be in Erik perspective, for now. And then majority of the time in Charles', after Cuba._


	2. Chapter 2

He had started watching them during training. He'd sit or lie down a few feet away from where they were, then watch as they worked. He was especially fascinated with Alex. He'd sit and watch him for hours when he was shooting at mannequins. Erik still didn't understand why Charles even had so many of them. The damned cat- no, he was a human too- always seemed to disappear when Charles and Erik were training, but that was it. He'd happily trail along after Charles and Hank when they were running. He'd sit and watch Raven lift weights. He even sat and watched Sean fall out of windows.

In the mornings, Erik had taken to running before joining everyone for breakfast. It helped him think about what to do during the rest of the day. He'd run for some time, jumping over the same hole in the back yard. It'd become routine; something he felt like he needed. Charles had offered to run to him, but Erik insisted he wanted to run alone.

The only person he saw during his morning runs was Dante. The cat would be sitting contently in the back garden, staring at him as he passed by. Erik had stumbled and almost fallen the first time he saw the cat watching him. But, he grew used to seeing the small creature every morning. It made him wonder if Charles, too, felt this odd familiarity of routine with him. He wondered if Charles would sit and tell all his worries and secrets to the cat. He wondered if Charles had ever cried in front of him, or laughed too hard. He wondered if he could ever feel that comfortable with the cat.

He wondered what would happen, when this was all over.

* * *

It was late at night; Erik hadn't expected for anyone to be awake. But, as he wandered down to the kitchen, he heard laughter from the common room and quiet music. He frowned, pausing just before the door. It had definitely sounded like Charles laughing, but with who? His best guess would be Raven. Or Dante. He wouldn't be surprised if Charles really did talk to the damn cat. Out of curiosity, he peeked into the room.

Charles was sitting on the couch, a drink in his hand. The radio was softly playing a song Erik didn't know, but it had a good, slow rhythm. Raven was standing in the middle of the room, the grey cat in her arms as she happily swayed to the music. She was in her pyjamas. Charles was as well. He couldn't help but smile, just slightly.

Suddenly, Charles looked over at him, a surprised smile on his face. "Erik!" He said happily. Raven immediately looked over at the man as well, grinning. "Come join us!" He beckoned for him to join him on the couch. He looked so innocent when he smiled at the older man.

Erik sighed and shrugged, walking further into the room. Raven smiled and let Dante leap from her arms. As soon as Erik had sat down beside Charles, Raven grabbed her brother's arm and pulled him up. "Dance with me!" She said playfully. Charles chuckled and very sloppily twirled his sister around. Erik watched in annoyance and amusement.

He watched them for a moment before the cat caught his attention once again. He jumped up onto the arm of the couch and lied down, his eyes drifting over to stare at Erik. He frowned and stare right back at him. He almost cracked a smile when the cat mewed, licking his paw indifferently. He huffed out a breath and looked back over at Charles and Raven. Raven stared at him intently for a second, then looked back to Charles with a smile.

Erik shrugged it off, grabbing Charles' drink and taking a sip.

* * *

There was a thunder storm, three days after they had been there. Erik didn't know what the others were doing. He knew Charles was in his room, he had heard the man's door shut from where he was in his own room. The rain had started late in the afternoon, just after they started making dinner. It had gone from a little bit to a complete downpour after about two hours of on and off rain. Around nine is when the thundering really had started. Erik didn't really care. It wasn't anything he wasn't already used to.

A door slamming across the hall caught his attention, bringing him out of his thoughts. He set the book he was reading down and looked at his door, his brows furrowing. It was definitely Dante's door that had slammed. But, why? He walked over and opened his door just a crack. He saw a figure standing in the hall, just in front of Dante's room. He didn't recognize them; was this Dante, as a human? As another crash of thunder sounded, the boy jumped and nearly fell over as he ran down the hall.

His eyes widened at the sight as he stepped out into the hallway. He saw the boy banging on a door- Charles' door. He looked utterly terrified as the rain continued to fall. He watched the door swing open, Charles stepping out into the hall to see Dante. He visibly relaxed as he rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. Another crash of lightning and he jumped once again, his hand gripping Charles' shirt. Erik hadn't realized he was walking towards them until he was a few feet away.

Charles stared down at the boy, letting out a deep sigh. His eyes drifted slowly to where Erik was now standing. He gave him an apologetic smile as he gestured for the man to follow, if he wanted. He turned to walk back into his room. Erik didn't know why, but he followed him inside. He didn't know if it was simple curiosity or actual concern for the younger mutant. As he closed the door, he saw Charles moving the boy over to his bed.

Charles sat down first, letting the boy climb half way onto his lap. He gently stroked his hair as the boy shook, letting out a shuddering breath. He looked at Erik and licked his lips in thought. Erik slowly sat down across from him, on an arm chair. They stayed silent for a long time, thunder and lightning fading into background noise. He couldn't know for sure, but Erik thought Charles was speaking to Dante through his mind. The small boy eventually began to relax, his grip loosening on Charles' shirt.

He hadn't noticed earlier, but even in human form, Dante was grey. His skin was a light grey, darker marks perfectly etched into his skin. It wasn't like a tattoo. It was his real skin; he had the same marks as he did as a cat. Were all his forms grey? He couldn't see his eyes, but he was sure they'd be blue. His hair was a much darker grey, almost black. Erik also hadn't noticed earlier, but the boy was completely naked.

"... Looks like he's finally asleep." He looked back up at his friend as he spoke. He let himself smile, just a bit before nodding. Charles moved slowly, lifting the boy up bridal style. He carefully set his head down on the pillows before pulling the covers over him. He took a deep breath and settled back down beside Dante, resting a hand in his hair.

Erik watched the boy sleep for a moment before looking at Charles. he had a content smile on his face, but... He also looked so sad. Like he was about to cry. He shifted in his seat, folding his hands. "... So, he's afraid of thunder?" He asked finally.

Charles almost looked surprised by the question as he turned to face his friend. He sighed and nodded, going back to watch Dante. "Yes... Since I've met him, he's always been terrified of the thunder. It's gotten better; he used to get aggressive when you approached him during a storm." He let out a half-hearted laugh. "His mother won't tell me why, though."

Erik raised an eyebrow at that, looking over at the small boy. "He has family?"

Charles hummed lightly, nodding his head. "He doesn't speak with them often... I know he visits his family during the holidays, but that's it." He huffed out a breath. "There are many things I do not know about him..." He mumbles, staring down at the sleeping figure.

Erik stares at Charles in slight surprise; He sounded so much older than he was. His face seemed tired, now that he really looked. Before he thought about what he was doing, he had stood up. Charles' eyes looked up at him with a quizzical stare before Erik was directly in front of him, leaning down to eye level.

It was just a small peck, nothing more. Lips pressed against each other for a matter of seconds. Charles' eyes stayed open as he stared at Erik in confusion. Erik simply gave him a small smile. "Good night, Charles." He practically whispered, turning and leaving the room. Charles didn't move. He continued to stare after Erik, even after the door had shut.

Erik paused in the hall, taking a deep breath. He didn't want to think about what he had just done. But Charles... He had looked so weary just then. Like his world was so fragile, and one wrong move could send it shattering. He quickly walked back to his room as another crash of thunder boomed through the house. He really hoped this storm would stop soon.

* * *

"Why isn't Dante fixed?"

It was lunch, with everyone sitting down at the table. Raven nearly choked on her glass of juice. Charles and Erik both stared at Alex in complete shock when he asked that question. For a split second, Erik had completely forgotten the others didn't know. Dante had been sitting in the window, just a few feet away when the question was asked. He visibly tensed, turning his head to stare at the blond. Sean and Hank both stared at Alex in amusement and confusion.

Charles cleared his throat, looking back down at his plate and absentmindedly playing with his eggs. "Dante doesn't... He isn't too fond of other cats." He said after a moment. Raven was trying to keep from laughing at that. Erik could see her smiling behind her cup. "I saw no need to have him.. Fixed." He was trying so hard to keep a straight face as he talked.

Alex looked surprise as he turned his head to look at Dante. "You aren't worried he'll knock up some stray cat?" He asked. Raven looked like she wanted to strangle the man, which just made Erik smile. Charles quickly shook his head, his face completely red. Dante meowed loudly as he jumped down from the window and stalked out of the room.

Raven cleared her throat, setting the fork down on her plate. "Well, I'm gonna... Go put my plate away." She pushed out her chair and walked to the sink. Hank mumbled "me too" and followed after Raven. The two quickly left the room after that, but Erik could hear their snickering. Sean was holding back laughter as well.

Erik shook his head and sighed, glancing over at Charles for a moment. He looked away as soon as Charles' eyes met his in a split moment. He went back to eating his breakfast. They still hadn't talked about last night. He didn't even know _what_ he would say if they ever finally talked about it.

* * *

It was later in the day, after training had finished. Erik wandered to a room with a T.V., only to find Alex lying on the couch. His eyes were closed. Erik didn't know what was on the T.V.. It looked like some kind of commercial. He was paying more attention to what Alex was doing. Dante was lying happily on his chest, staring at the T.V. intently. When Erik walked in, his eyes shifted to stare at the man. Erik stared back.

His ear flicked as someone walked over, standing beside the man. Dante turned and looked back at the T.V. as Erik glanced over at the person beside him. It was Raven. "Did Charles tell you? About Dante." She whispered, staring at Alex and the cat with a small smile. He hummed in response, nodding his head. "Hank figured it out the second day here." She said casually, "He asked me why Dante preferred staying like this."

"And what did you tell him?" He asked slowly.

"The truth." She paused, taking a deep breath. "I don't know why he likes being a cat; I know he's perfectly fine with being grey. He's very comfortable with his own skin. He just... Likes being a cat. Charles might know why." She shrugged, crossing her arms.

He hums softly, staring at the cat as he watched the T.V.. That was a curious thing. If Dante is fine with his true form, why continue to be a cat? A small, weak, animal. He'd have to deal with fleas and people picking him up and having to be pet- wait.

He let out a breathy chuckle, turning and walking towards the stairs. He got it. Acting like a cat also meant no responsibility of being human. He could lounge about and spend his days relaxing instead of having to do the many things humans had to do. No taxes, no working. Free to do what you want. He'd never chose to be a cat, but he could see why someone who could would.

He thinks Raven mumbled something after him, but he didn't hear it.

* * *

The first time Erik saw Dante as something other than a cat, it nearly scared him. Nearly. It had definitely taken him off guard.

He was doing his morning run around the mansion. He had just barely heard a hiss before he stopped dead in his tracks. A snake was staring directly up at him, hissing. It's tail rattled rapidly as Erik stared down at it. He moved to go around it, but a figure running directly towards them made him pause. Suddenly, there was a small grey creature standing in front of him, growling. It was more lanky than a cat. After a moment, he realized what it was. A mongoose.

The creature lets out a noise that almost sounds like a bark before striking at the snake. The snake hisses and tries to bite his paw, but he moves and bites down just bellow it's head. The snake struggled, trying to move to bite but to no avail. After a few seconds, it goes limp. The mongoose turns and looked straight up at Erik with dark blue eyes.

He frowned, staring at Dante with annoyance. It was almost grotesque, seeing him stand there with a snake dangling from his mouth. "That was unnecessary, but thank you... I guess." He mumbled, huffing out a breath. he started running once again.

When he took a glance behind him, Dante was wandering towards the fence. He spit the snake out beside it, then jumped up to lie on the fence. Her shook his head and sighed, continuing to run.

When he passed the backyard again, Dante was back to being a cat. He was staring off in the direction of a Satellite.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Yay, another chapter! :D! I decided I'm gonna try doing weekly updates. Fallen is helping to keep me on the schedule, instead of posting 3 chapters in a row then disappearing for 3 months._

 _Dante's fear of thunder completely has to do with him almost constantly being in the state of mind of an animal. Even when he's a human, his mentality still mirrors an animal. The longer he stays as a human, the more human his mind is. This is also why Charles has problems with reading his mind, because majority of the time it's practically an animal's mind. It's most human after he wakes up, because he sleeps as a human._

 _The little dance scene was something my sister asked for, so I just did a small tidbit with it._


	3. Chapter 3

Erik had just been wandering around during the evening, curiously looking into rooms he hadn't been to. Some were locked, to his surprise. He was walking past the study when he glanced in out of curiosity. He wasn't surprised when he saw Charles sitting at the desk, his head resting on top of it. He wasn't snoring, but it was obvious he was asleep. It was almost... Cute.

He frowned at his own thoughts and shook his head, sighing. He stepped forward and grabbed the door, slowly shutting it close. He nearly cringed as it loudly creaked. He saw Charles stir from where he was. His head lifted as one of his hands moved to rub his eye. He yawned, "Erik...?" He mumbled.

He held back a groan as Charles partially turned to see him. He was half asleep still, eyes half lidded. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." He said in a hushed tone, standing up straight. God, he looked so innocent.

"No, it's fine... I probably shouldn't sleep in here, anyways." He sighed. Erik hummed lightly in response, staring at him as he sleepily shifted in his seat. He yawned and looked at Erik with a lazy smile. "Was there something you needed?"

Erik stared at him for a second before sighing, stepping fully into the study. He guessed this was a better time than ever to talk. "... Last night."

"Many things happened last night, Erik. I'm afraid you'll have to clarify." He was still smiling. Damn him, Charles knew exactly what he was talking about.

He sighed, shaking his head. This was stupid idea. He didn't even want to talk about it, but he thought Charles would. "Never mind. We can talk about it later." He mumbled, turning to walk out.

"Erik-" He stopped when he felt a hand grab his wrist. The grip was weak; he had no doubt he could get away if he wanted. "I'm sorry. You just looked so serious, I couldn't help teasing you just a bit." He said. His face looked apologetic, but he was still smiling.

Erik scowled, glaring down at him. They stayed silent for a moment, staring at each other before Erik sighed. "I'm sorry for kissing you without asking." He said finally.

Charles' hand fell to his side. He looked like he was searching for something in Erik's face. He smiled, tilting his head lightly. "You're sorry you didn't ask, but not for kissing me?"

He shook his head, a small smile on his face. "Never for kissing you. I'd very much like to kiss you again, actually." His voice was much quieter than he thought it'd be.

Charles looked almost taken aback at his words, but a small smile quickly formed on his face. He looked up at Erik with bright blue eyes, staring at him intently. "Then go ahead." He whispered. Erik barely hesitated, taking a large step until his chest was almost touching Charles'. Charles' hand raised to grip at his shirt sleeve as one of his cupped the younger man's face. He slowly closed the gap between them, tentatively pressing their lips together. Charles reached up to meet him, his eyes sliding close.

His grip tightened on the taller man's shirt as he pressed them flushed against each other, his leg moving between Charles'. His free hand slid into Erik's short hair, lightly gripping it. They moved against each other with deliberately slow movements, Charles' hand sliding down Erik's arm. He hummed lightly as he felt Erik's tongue against his mouth. He wanted to smile as he met Erik's tongue with his own, a spark of pleasure sending shivers down his spine.

They broke apart hesitantly, both breathing heavily. Charles' eyes slowly opened as he stared up into Erik's grey ones. He smiled, letting out a breathy laugh. Erik did as well, one of his hands moving to hold onto the smaller's waist. Erik chuckled, looking down at Charles in amusement and wonder. His face was completely flushed, his cheeks red.

"Oh." They both froze as they heard a new voice behind them. Erik turned his head to see Moira staring at them in shock. Her mouth was open, and her eyes were wide. She quickly looked away as they turned to looked back at her, her cheeks turning bright red. "Sorry- I'll just... Yeah." She quickly walked away, nearly tripping over her own feet.

When she's out of their sight, the two looked at each other. Erik doesn't know whether to be annoyed or amused. He raises an eyebrow when he hears a small giggle slip past Charles' lips. He lets out his own breathy laugh before the two let out actual laughs, releasing each other. Charles wraps his arms around his stomach, bending over as he laughed. Erik isn't laughing as hard, but he' definitely still laughing as he stares at Charles in amusement. There was only really one other thing that could make this any funnier.

"Mow." He snorts when he hears the small noise behind him. Charles looks over at the door and simply starts laughing even harder at Erik's snort. He knew who that was, and he wasn't surprised he was here.

The damned cat was always there.

* * *

The second time Erik saw Dante as a human, it wasn't something he had expected. It was the next day, just barely morning when he was walking down the hall to the bathroom. He saw the boy slowly closing a door, completely naked. "... Dante?" He whispered, staring at him in surprise. What was he doing in there? He knew it wasn't Raven's room.

He immediately froze, blue eyes going wide as he slowly turned to stare at the other man. "Oh." His voice was much deeper than he'd imagined. Now that he was thinking of it, how old even was he? Erik had just assumed he was a kid, but he actually had no idea. It'd actually make sense if he was older, seeing as he didn't live with his family.

"What are you doing...?" He stepped closer to the shape shifter.

"I- uh... Um." His hands moved rapidly as he tried to talk. He paused, staring at the man and sighing. He looked down at the ground; Erik thought he saw a blush on his face. "Alex brought me up to his room, and we kinda fell asleep..." He said finally, his face now completely red. It was an odd contrast to his grey skin.

Erik stared at him, surprise etched into his face. He shook his head and sighed. "Did he see you?" He asked slowly.

Dante quickly shook his head, his cheeks turning bright red. He sighed and stared up at Erik, "Could you not tell anyone? Please? It's kind of... Embarrassing." He whispered.

Erik stared at him for a moment before giving him a small smile. "Your secret's safe with me." He replied.

Dante grinned up at him, eyes wide. "Thanks, Erik. I'm gonna go make breakfast now." He said quickly, hurrying down the hall, towards the stairs. Erik turned to watch him go, but he was already a cat again.

He stared after the cat for a second before turning and huffing out a breath, a small smile on his lips. He shook his head and started walking towards the bathroom once again.

* * *

Sean could fly now. Charles had scolded Erik on how the man had gone about it, but he had to admit that shoving him off the satellite would be one of the only ways he'd learn. And, it had worked. he was screaming across the back garden, seeming to have the time of his life. And, curiously enough, there was a rather large eagle flying just a few feet away. Raven had practically snorted when she saw the bird.

She sighed happily, watching the two from the back porch. "Well, at least Dante has a flying partner now." She mused. Erik smiled, humming in response. He looked like a golden eagle, feathers and all. That answered his question about if he was always grey. Charles chuckled lightly and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Well, as nice as this is, I'm hungry." He huffed, "I'll go make us all some lunch, okay?" He smiled and turned away, walking back into the mansion. Erik watched him leave, a fond smile on his face. He blinked, glancing over at Raven. She was staring at him with a knowing grin, her eyebrow raised.

He cleared his throat, the smile disappearing. "Make sure Sean doesn't crash when he lands..." He grumbled, turning and walking off in the direction Charles had gone. Raven stared after him for a moment before giggling, shaking her head lightly. She looked back up to where Sean and Dante were gliding through the sky.

* * *

Alex had barely knocked as he entered the study, giving Erik and Charles an apologetic smile as he leaned in. Charles, of course, smiled back at him and beckoned him to come closer. "Is there something wrong?"

Alex shook his head, sighing. "Have you seen Dante?" He asked. Erik and Charles shared a glance before shaking their heads. He sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Did you need him for something?" Erik asked.

Alex shrugged, "We were in the garden earlier, and he kinda got dirty. I was gonna try to give him a bath, but he ran off."

Charles looked almost appalled at Alex's words, while Erik tried not to laugh. Charles cleared his throat and glared at Erik, who was simply smiling. He looked back at Alex and offered him a small smile. "You'll have to excuse Dante. He's a... fickle cat; he hates baths. I'll ask to Raven to give him one, since he often hides in her room." He said slowly in thought.

The younger man looked almost annoyed at the answer, but he still nodded. "Yeah, okay." He huffed out a breath, resting a hand on his hip. "Sorry for bothering you guys." He mumbled the last part, turning and walking out of the study.

Erik sighed and cracked another smile, looking over at Charles mischievously. He raised an eyebrow, "Shall we continue?" he asked lowly.

Charles looked back at him, then at the table between them. He lifted one of the chess pieces and smiled, "We shall." He replied.

* * *

Raven stepped out of the bathroom, a towel around her neck. She sighed contently, humming softly. As she walked back towards her room, she nearly collided with a extremely flustered Moira. She stopped just before they hit each other. "Woah, what's the rush?" She joked.

"Ah- Raven! Sorry... I didn't see you there." Her face was bright red. She took a deep breath, "I just... I was going to ask Charles something, and he was in the study, but then Erik was there too and they were..." She trailed off, looking down at her feet.

Raven stares at her in surprise. Charles and Erik... Were they- No, she knew Charles. They wouldn't do it in the study. She smiled and laughed lightly, shaking her head. She knew this would happen. God, she knew Erik and Charles had a thing for each other. Moira was looking at her in surprise and confusion. "You caught them kissing?" She mused, trying to control her giggles.

She opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it, meekly nodding instead. Raven smiled, patting the woman on the back. She sighed, "Hank _so_ owes me five bucks now." She said happily. Once again, Moira gave her a surprised looked but it soon turned into a smile as she shook her head at the younger woman. "What? You can't tell me you didn't see this coming." She said casually before walking away.

Moira turned to watch her go before sighed, her cheeks still red. She shook her head and let out a small chuckle, "No... I can't say I didn't." She replied softly, turning and walking away in the opposite direction.

* * *

The next day, Sean and Alex both expressed concern for where Dante was. No one had seen him that morning, or during training. The grey cat had definitely become apart of their team, even if part the team thought he was a cat. They all loved him in their own ways, especially Alex. He was distracted all through lunch. Only Raven and Charles seemed to not care.

"He's a good cat. He'll be back later." Charles had said simply, sipping on a cup of tea. Erik could tell, the telepath was keeping something. Sean didn't seem fully okay with that answer, but he simply shrugged and carried on eating. Alex frowned and excused himself early from lunch. Erik had no doubt he was going to go looking for the cat.

After lunch, Erik and Charles went out to the garden for training. As they slowly made their way there, Erik decided to ask about Dante. He was about to open his mouth, when Charles cut him off.

"His sister needed him for something. He'll be back later." He said simply, slipping his hands into the pockets of his sweats. Erik frowned, staring at Charles. "And before you ask, I didn't read your mind. I just assumed you'd ask sooner or later about his whereabouts."

Erik hummed lightly, running his thumb against the side of the gun in his hands. He believed Charles about not reading his mind. Sometimes he wondered if he shouldn't believe him, but he does. The man had yet to give him a reason not to. He doubted the smaller man would ever give him a reason.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Okay, this is kind of a day late but i'm gonna be mean and blame Fallen. She was at comic con all weekend! She had fun though so it's okay._

 _BUT ANYWHO! I'm really happy and really surprised people are liking this story! This is the first time I've actually gotten reviews on a story? I'M GLAD PEOPLE ARE LIKING DANTE~ He's my precious grey baby and it makes me happy you guys like him~_

 _To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this. I know I'm gonna try and stay true to the movies for the most part. If you guys have any suggestions on what you won see with Dante, I'd be happy to oblige. Just, be warned Erik might be gone by next chapter. Might._


	4. Chapter 4

Dante had returned at dinner, just as Charles had said. He was limping as he climbed onto the window, instead of jumping. Erik frowned at that; what had he gotten himself into? Was he attacked? Who would attack him? Multiple questions filled his mind, but were brought to a halt at a familiar sensation of having someone else in his mind. _I'm afraid you're projecting your questions quite loudly, my dear. I'll answer some of them, after dinner._

Erik sighed, biting into another piece of dinner. _You had better explain, Charles._ he warned, glancing over at the Professor. The man only offered him a smile, then continued eating. He rolled his eyes and glanced around everyone else. Sean picked at what was left on his plate absentmindedly, while Hank seemed to be thinking about something.

The table was quiet, for the most part. A few jokes, a bit of casual talking, but that was the extent. It felt far too tense, compared to their other dinners. Their last night, and everyone was quiet. No one was talking about what was going to happen tomorrow.

Erik looked over at the window as he heard a soft mewl. Dante was standing casually now, no sign of any limp. He flicked his tail as the others looked over at him. He leaped down from the table and strolled right over to Charles, jumping into the telepath's lap. "Dante...?" Charles furrowed his eyebrows, watching the grey cat curiously. No one said anything for a moment, just watched Dante.

If cat could, Erik was sure he'd be grinning. He took a huge leap and landed directly beside the pie Moira and Raven had made earlier that day. Charles' eyes widened as he stared at him. "Dante-" He barely got a word in before the damned cat slammed one small paw on the edge of the pie tin, sending the entire thing flying. They all held their breath as it landed with an audible splat. On Erik's lap.

Everything went dead silent for all but three seconds, "Pffft-" He looked down at the pie in his lap, then at the blue eyed man beside him. He was trying to hold back laughter. Sean was the first to fully laugh, letting out a loud snort. Raven and Hank soon followed, throwing their heads back in laughter. Alex let out his own small laugh, shaking his head at the small cat.

He looked back at the cat, and he couldn't help but smiling just a bit. He knew exactly what the cat was trying to do; take their minds off tomorrow. He huffed out a breathy laugh and pushed his chair away from the table. "Well, now I have to change my clothes." He sighed and stood, hurrying out of the room. He could still hear laughter after he had left. It seemed Dante's little joke had payed off, even if it was at the expense of his pants.

* * *

Raven left early from the table, mumbling something about going to her room. She seemed tired, at least to Erik. Sean and Alex decided to grab Dante and watch some TV, while Hank simply followed after them. That left Erik and Charles with clean up as they brought the dishes over to the sink. Charles hummed lightly as he turned the sink on, waiting for the water to heat up.

Erik watched him curiously for a moment before scraping leftovers into the trash. "Dante was limping." He said casually.

Charles nodded, "His healing mutation is very remarkable; he wans't limping for very long, if you noticed. It's a secondary mutation, from what I've gathered. Practically immortality." He shrugged it off easily, continuing to wash the dishes. "His sister has it, too. Quite the formidable duo, when she asks for his help. I believe she was against a crime syndicate this time... I don't really pay attention to mercenary work." His voice had just a small hint of amusement as he stared down at the dishes.

Erik paused, staring at his friend in surprise. "Mercenary work." He repeated.

Charles simply nodded, "Dante doesn't talk about it, but Raven and I found out when we met his sister. I don't really approve of it, but..." He shrugged, "I can't really tell them what to do."

He fought down the urge to snort at that. He was a very strong telepath; surely he could tell anyone what to do, even if they didn't want to. But, he said nothing. knowing Charles, he'd promised to stay out of their minds. Like he had done with Raven and himself. They finished the rest of the dishes in a comfortable silence, Charles washing them while Erik dried and put them away.

"Erik?" He looked back over at Charles, "How about we finish that game of chess?" He asked softly.

Erik blinked, staring at him for a moment before smiling lightly. He looked back down at the last dish in his hand. "... That sounds like a good idea." He mused.

* * *

There was a light knock on the door, followed by it slowly opening just a peek to reveal two grey hands. "Raven?" His voice was just barely above a whisper.

the woman looked up from her book, giving the older man a soft smile. "This is rare. Do you need something?" She asked, sitting up on her bed.

He let out a small whimpering noise, slipping into the room swiftly. "..." He crept towards the bed, climbing onto it quietly. "... Y' leave 'morrow." He mumbled, his voice child-like.

Raven sighed, setting her book down on the drawer. "Dante..." She reached out her hands, gesturing for the shape shifter to come closer. He moved over until Raven's arms were firmly around his chest, his head pressed against her shoulder. "We'll come back when it's over. I promise."

She felt the man's head shake against her. She blinked, "What?" Her voice stayed quiet as she brushed a hair away to look at his face. His eyes were closed.

He said nothing as he clung quietly to Raven. She sighed and moved one of her hands to gently run it through his dark hair. She hummed a soft tune, feeling Dante slowly relax against her. She had a feeling he'd get worried about them leaving to stop an entire war. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the bed frame, tilting her head back to look up at the ceiling.

She hadn't realized Dante was asleep at first; his hands had loosened around her shirt as he drifted off against her. She slowly shifted out of his grip, moving to sit beside him now. She stared at him for a moment before shifting to grab her book once again, letting one of her hands continue to run through the shape shifter's hair.

A while had passed when there was another knock on the door. She called quietly for them to come in, and to her surprise, Hank slowly walked in with something in his hands. He had a small smile on his face.

* * *

Dante didn't say goodbye in the morning. He was nowhere to be seen when they inevitably had to leave. Alex had almost seemed upset about it, but he had quickly covered it up.

Erik hadn't really thought anything of it until Charles pointed it out. But, even then it was merely a passing thought.

His mind was elsewhere. Today, he'd get his revenge.

Today he'd kill his creator.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Okay so this is like a thousand words shorter than what I usually do. I try to at least write 2,000 words per chapter, but I didn't know what else to fit into this part. I'm gonna kinda skip over Cuba a bit, since I'm trying to focus on things that have Dante in them, since he is kinda the main character. So, the next chapter will pick up after Cuba._

 _Which won't come out on Wednesday. D: Fallen and I will both be gone that week, so it'll be uploaded on Saturday instead. Sorry. I may try to post a tiny little filler on Monday, before I leave._

 _Also; Dante's sister, Anna. She's has the same healing ability as her twin brother, but she can't shape shift. And she doesn't have as grey of skin. BUT! SHE DOES HAVE PROBABLY ONE OF MY 2 FAVOURITE ABILITIES. She can manipulate bones._

 _Also also; Thus far, there have been 3 primary songs that have been in my mind whilst I write chapters._

 _The first one is To Build a Home by the Cinematic Orchestra._

 _The second one is Colors by Halsey._

 _And then Aishiteru Banzai from Love Live. Specifically Lizz Robinett's cover._

 _I dunno, I just have them in my head while writing with Dante. He's such a lovely character to work with; so neutral and loving and yet so child like._

 _P.S. Fallen wants me to ship Alex and Dante together, so blame her for anything that even remotely looks like a ship._


	5. Seraphina

Hello.

This is Fallen, the other half of this account.

Usually, this would be updated by now, after I've edited the latest chapter. Unfortunately, Seraphina has messaged me and said that she is unable to give me chapters to edit as of right now. So, this will not be updated for probably another two weeks until she is able to give me the chapters.

Seraphina apologizes, and will try to be back as soon as possible.

In the mean time, I will try to upload some stories of my own, though most will be simple one-shots.


End file.
